Tinubu Presidency Nears Constitutional Breakthrough on State Police
The Presidency has announced an important progress towards the establishment of state police in Nigeria, revealing that a constitutional amendment to support the initiative is nearing completion following months of high-level consultations.
Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Thursday after a consultative meeting on state police held at the State House, Abuja.
Briefing State House Correspondents, Gbajabiamila said discussions on the proposed framework began several months ago on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and have now reached an advanced stage.
According to him, the process involves extensive constitutional and legal considerations, stressing that the establishment of state police cannot be rushed.
“We started deliberations in the last three or four months on how to go about the establishment of state police as directed by Mr President.
“Establishing state police is not something that you do with the snap of the fingers. There is a lot involved in terms of constitution and legalities, and thank God we have now gained a lot of traction,” he said.
Gbajabiamila expressed optimism that the constitutional amendment would soon be unveiled, after which the enabling legislation would follow.
He explained that current discussions are focused on the constitutional amendment itself, while legal frameworks for implementation would come afterward.
The Chief of Staff noted that there is now broad national consensus on the need for state police, adding that the debate has shifted from whether it should be created to how it should operate effectively within Nigeria’s constitutional structure.
President Tinubu, a long-time advocate of state police, believes a decentralised policing system would strengthen grassroots security, improve intelligence gathering and enhance the protection of lives and property across the country.
The meeting formed part of ongoing consultations by the Federal Government aimed at developing a workable framework for state police as part of efforts to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
Among those who attended the meeting were the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; and the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, alongside other senior government officials.
